Strategic Advances in the Management of Browning in Fruits and Vegetables

Bioactive compounds and healthful nutrient-rich fresh fruits and vegetables enrich our lives with nutrition and health. Discoloration due to enzymatic browning is one of the serious problems in fresh fruits and vegetables caused by activity of enzymes peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) in the presence of oxygen; it affects quality attributes (appearance, nutritional value) and decreases the economic value of fruit/vegetable products. Conventional techniques (blanching, chemical treatments, packaging, freezing, herbal treatments) are commercially used to tackle browning activity. These techniques affect fruit and vegetable quality attributes. Thus, to minimize the quality attribute loss, the application of emerging thermal and non-thermal techniques has been investigated. This review highlights the role of conventional techniques on browning inhibition and quality attributes, the emergence of advanced techniques, the role of advanced techniques on browning inhibition, the rate of inhibition of browning enzymes and its operating temperature, and time and pressure to decrease browning index. This article also examines shelf life, quality attributes, browning degree, and antioxidant and antimicrobial properties on the potential application of both conventional and emerging/advanced technologies in fruits and vegetables.

Automated summary

Bioactive compounds and healthful nutrient-rich fresh fruits and vegetables play an important role in providing nutrition and promoting good health. Enzymatic browning caused by the activity of specific enzymes can negatively impact the appearance and nutritional value of these products. Various conventional and emerging techniques have been studied to inhibit enzymatic browning while minimizing quality attribute loss. This review examines the effectiveness of different techniques, the factors influencing browning inhibition, and the potential applications in fruits and vegetables.